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1951 Epiphone Triumph Regent
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Serial #: 63832, New York label
Body size at lower bout: 17 3/8" Scale length: 25 1/2" Neck width at nut: 1 11/16"
Finish: Blonde finish, nitrocellulose lacquer type.
Materials: Handcarved, bookmatched solid spruce top; solid carved maple back; tiger flame maple sides; 5 piece mahogany neck with walnut centerstripe; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard with diamond mother of pearl inlay; adjustable compensated Brazilian rosewood bridge, pearl peghead inlay, triple-bound top, bound fingerboard, back and headstock.
Hardware: Original hardware includes 16X1 epsilon logo Epi tuners; original nickel Frequensator tailpiece; original adjustable compensated rosewood bridge; correct hand bound tortoise shell tortoise pickguard with Armstrong 2D floating humbucking pickup with volume control.
Notes: When choosing an acoustic archtop, many contemporary players find themselves in a dilemma. While seeking the playability of a cutaway design, they are loathe to sacrifice the full-throated voice of the traditional non-cut body. Only rarely are we lucky enough to find an instrument that serves both masters well, and this guitar is one of the fortunate few. From its ringing bass register to clear sparkling highs, this guitar has cutting power to rival the best of the big band boomers.
The cutaway version of Epi's most popular model, the Triumph Regent was manufactured for only about five years, and is accordingly a much scarcer item than either the non-cutaway Triumph, or the competing Gibson L-7C, which was produced for almost a quarter century.
This example is in the scarce and desirable blonde finish, now warmly aged to a deep amber, over handsome slab-cut figure in the carved maple back. Significantly, it's also the very earliest Epiphone we've seen with truss rod access in the peghead. (So early is this example that Epi builders borrowed the metal truss rod cover from their flat top line, as they had yet to design the white plastic cover used in all subsequent archtops.)
With fine recent frets, the voice has exceptional clarity and generous dynamic range. An exceptionally well cared for instrument, the body is without cracks, pick, buckle or thumbwear. Apart from some very light scattered checking and a bit of case wear on the lower bass side, the guitar shows few signs of play altogether. A correct bound leopard tortoise pickguard has been installed, and a single tuner replaced with an original Epi machine head. A special plus is the Kent Armstrong 2D floating humbucker, with volume control and side-mounted 1/4" jack.
A true acoustic warrior from the golden age, this beauty offers the best of both worlds: a deep contemporary cutaway, and a voice to put meek modern archtops to shame. One only: call now.
Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge radius inspected and recurved as necessary; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.
This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel strings (.013-.056). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
Case: Original deluxe brown arched Liftton plush lined hardshell case
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